Point Buchon And Vicinity
Map SatelliteStretching southeasterly some 20 kilometers (13 miles), from Point Buchon to Point San Luis, is one of the most spectacular and pristine coastlines in the State. A variety of terrestrial and marine habitats is found in this area.
Several terrestrial plant communities are present, with the central coastal scrub and grassland, including Nassella (Stipa) sp., occupying most of the area. There is a small amount of coastal bluff scrub on and immediately behind the steep bluffs that line much of the coast. Inland there is an oak woodland, with live oak, Quercus agrifolia, the dominant. There is also some chaparral present. The rare Arctostaphylos pechoensis occurs near the northern boundary of the area.
A reef fronts virtually the entire coast and supports numerous marine plants and animals. Over 100 species of marine algae grow in the area, as do the surf grasses, Phyllospadix scouleri and Phyllospadix torreyi. Offshore there are dense stands of giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera, and bull kelp, Nereocystis luetkeana.
Both the terrestrial and marine animals are typical of the central coastal region. The sea otter, Enhydra lutris, has recently extended its range into the area. Several seabirds, including pelagic and Brandt's cormorants, Phalacrocorax pelagicus and Phalacrocorax penicillatus, breed here.
Some 110-plus species of fish have been recorded in the area. The marine invertebrates, including the abalones, Haliotis spp., are abundant.
Several geological formations are present, including the Mesozoic Franciscan, mid-Miocene Monterey shale, Miocene volcanics and Pleistocene marine terraces, of which there are several in the area. The terraces are underlain by the steeply dipping Monterey shales, thus, along the sea cliffs, providing excellent examples of angular unconformity between the horizontal terraces and the near vertical shales. There are volcanic ash deposits, some of which have been eroded to form sea stacks.
A number of archaeological sites have been located here.
Integrity: Though grazed lightly, the area has been well protected and, aside from several roads, most of it is virtually undisturbed. A nuclear power plant has been constructed in Diablo Canyon.
Use: Research, educational, observational in marine area. Land area private.
Ref: Burge, R. T. and S. A. Schultz, 1973. The Marine Environment in the Vicinity of Diablo Cove with Special Reference to Abalones and Bony Fishes. Calif. Dept. of Fish and Game Mar. Res. Tech. Rep. 19, 423 pp.
January 1978
Inventory of California Natural Areas
Revision © 2009 Steven Louis Hartman